AN INTRODUCTION TO HOSTING

Transcription

1 AN INTRODUCTION TO HOSTING This overview is designed to provide a clear understanding of hosting, its benefits and how Connectria stands apart from the competition. NO JERKS ALLOW ED

2 WHAT IS HOSTING? The term Hosting refers to the service of providing software, computing resources, data storage and/or network resources to someone for a fee. You could purchase Server Hosting which means you would be purchasing server resources for your needs. The server(s) would be running some kind of Operating System, and possibly other types of software. These could be Windows servers, Linux servers, IBM System i (iseries-as/400) servers, Oracle/Sun Solaris servers, HP Integrity (running HP-UX) servers, or IBM System p (running AIX) servers. So if for example, a buyer purchased Windows Server Hosting (also called Windows Hosting ) they would in essence rent some form of a Windows server environment that they could use to run whatever Windows software they wanted. Generally speaking, the customer would connect to the server over the Internet, although some hosting providers, such as Connectria, also support private network connections, such as an MPLS network. The Windows server environment could be a physical server, such as a Dell PowerEdge or HP Proliant server. Or it could be a virtual server, which is often called a cloud server, meaning it is just a slice of a dedicated server that behaves like a physical server, except that it is running along side other virtual or cloud servers on a computer system somewhere. Types of Hosting: Self-Managed (or Unmanaged) versus Managed: This Windows server in the example above, could be a Self-Managed Windows server, or it could be a Managed Windows server. If it were a Self-Managed Windows server, the customer would have full administrative rights to the server, and would be responsible for administering the server themselves. This would mean the customer would be responsible for performing data backups, virus scanning, operating system security patching and updates, capacity monitoring, etc. The hosting provider would not login to the server nor provide any services besides providing the server resource, making sure it had electricity, making sure the hardware was working properly, and ensuring that the server had an Internet connection. This would be considered Self-Managed Hosting. In a Managed Hosting scenario, the Managed Hosting provider administers and manages the server and its operating system, sometimes system software such as an application server (WebSphere, Apache/Tomcat, etc.) or database software (Oracle, SQL Server, DB2), while the customer typically manages the applications running on top of the managed systems. Page 2 of 6

3 Services performed by the Managed Hosting provider may include 24/7 server/process monitoring, Operating System (O/S) updates & security patches, Managed DNS, Data Backups & Restores, and a range of security services including Managed Firewall Services, Network Intrusion Prevention, Server Intrusion Prevention, Vulnerability Scanning, Advanced Server Hardening, Server Integrity Monitoring, Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) Protection, and Data Encryption, among others. In either a Self-Managed or Managed scenario, servers are typically owned by the hosting provider and rented by the customer, although some providers like Connectria allow customers to provide the server platforms and Connectria manages them on behalf of the customer. Servers may either be dedicated to a single customer or shared through a multi-tenant model by many customers (e.g. as with cloud computing). Though pricing models may vary among vendors, hosting services typically have a fixed, monthly fee for base services plus additional fees for more specific requirements. Connectria provides Hosting for a wide range of server platforms, including Dell, HP & IBM Intelbased servers (running Windows, Linux, VMware, HyperV, or Solaris), IBM System i (iseries-as/400) servers, IBM System p (running AIX) servers, Oracle/Sun Solaris servers, and HP Integrity (running HPUX) servers. REASONS WHY ORGANIZATIONS USE HOSTING There are often certain conditions and events that cause an organization to consider using hosting services. Though not exhaustive, some of the more common triggers include: Loss of skilled staff (e.g. retirement, attrition, downsizing, M&A, old legacy technology). Budget reduction (have to do more with less). Capital budget freeze (can no longer procure equipment but can rent via hosting provider as an operating expense). Major outage event/exposed vulnerabilities. Acquisition of new, unfamiliar technologies (e.g. via M&A). Establishment of a new business (no internal IT department). IT unable to support request from business constituents (e.g. new projects). Desire or mandate to follow trends and latest technologies (e.g. cloud computing). Unhappy with current hosting provider (slow, unresponsive support, high costs, etc.). Contract with current hosting provider about to expire. Page 3 of 6

4 THE BENEFITS OF HOSTING WITH CONNECTRIA There are many benefits to be derived through hosting with Connectria. At a high level, hosting with Connectria is often a more efficient and cost-effective alternative to managing servers in-house because: We help organizations reduce operating expenses. Through hosting, organizations can avoid having to invest in a wide range of expensive IT skill sets in-house. We help organizations to reduce capital expenses. Organizations can avoid spending scarce capital dollars on expensive data centers and server platforms, and only pay for the resource they need, when they need them. We allow organizations to react more quickly, and implement new technologies faster to support business needs. We remove a significant level of complexity and stress from an Information Technology (IT) department. Organizations that use Connectria hosting can focus on solving business needs, not running computer systems. IT departments get guaranteed service levels with money back penalties, something that is unattainable when organizations run their own computer systems in-house. Customer Location Customer access to Hosted Servers/Apps (Either Self-Managed or Managed) Private Network Connection or Internet HOSTING SERVICES A Hosting Provider rents its customers Information Technology (IT) infrastructure components (e.g. data center, servers, software, data storage, operating systems, network access). The customers run and access their application software that resides within the Hosting Provider s data center over a private network connection or the internet. Customers have the option to choose a dedicated server environment for themselves or a shared server / cloud computing environment among many customers, using virtualization or cloud technologies. Dedicated Servers (One Customer) Shared Servers / Cloud Computing (Multiple Customers) Customers also have the option to remotely administer the servers themselves or have the Hosting Provider manage the servers (e.g. O/S security patches/updates, virus scanning, capacity monitoring, data backups, etc.) for them. For these collective services, the Hosting Provider charges its customers a monthly fee. Through Hosting, you can: Reduce operating expenses. Reduce capital expenditures. Managed Hosting Services Hosting Provider Data Center Quickly deploy the latest technologies. Fill skills and resource gaps within your IT department. Focus upon solving business needs, not running servers. Page 4 of 6

5 WHY CHOOSE CONNECTRIA? Connectria has been providing hosting services since 1996 to customers around the globe. Along the way, our customers have told us what makes us unique. We thought we d share their perspectives and hope you consider Connectria when your organization is ready to take advantage of the benefits of hosting. We re technically proficient and focused. o We re good at what we do. We have expertise across a wide range of technologies, and are able to address basic and highly complex environments. Not all vendors can claim this, including Rackspace. o Our sole business is hosting. We have no other motives (e.g. pushing consulting, hardware, other services) and are technology agnostic. We deliver compelling value. o Doing right by our customers is core to our culture. We have many instances where customers expected additional charges for services above and beyond, however there were none. o Customers can extend their IT organization s capabilities by leveraging our wide range of IT skills sets on a 24x7 basis. o We always deliver what we say we ll deliver and then some. We also won t make promises that we can t keep. o We re competitively priced and provide a consistent, fixed monthly price for our services. There are no surprises and no extra, unanticipated costs. o Our best compliment is that we re transparent. We allow our customers to focus upon higher priority activities by doing our jobs well. We make it easy on our customers and our customers like working with us. o We re easy to do business with and extremely flexible in how we support our customers. This is apparent from the moment of first contact with Connectria. o We re not encumbered by layers of bureaucracy. o We provide early, consistent access to technically proficient engineers, before, during and after the sale. o Unlike other vendors (e.g. IBM, AT&T, Verizon), we position ourselves as an extension of our customer s IT departments. As a result, we do not impose our own processes and methods upon our customers; rather, we are extremely flexible and we adapt to how you manage your business. We re stable. o Since 1998, we have had a proven track record of performance (most hosting companies have not had this longevity). o We re privately held by our management team, profitable and growing. We answer only to our customers. Page 5 of 6

6 ABOUT CONNECTRIA Connectria provides award-winning cloud computing, managed hosting and custom hosting solutions for more than 1,000 customers in over 30 countries worldwide. We are experts in complex multi-vendor solutions, and we support the broadest range of technologies, managed services and security in the industry. At the core of Connectria is our No Jerks Allowed company philosophy. As The Jerk Free Company, we ve established a unique culture where every individual goes the extra mile to take care of our customers. Being The Jerk Free Company extends beyond our people too. We make it easy to do business with us through flexible terms, scalable solutions and straight-forward pricing to serve the hosting needs of large and small organizations alike. NO JERKS ALLOW ED Page 6 of 6